Spent 4 hours trying to fix a loose thread on a leather spine and it was just the wrong needle

I was working on this nice leather-bound journal for a client in Portland and the thread kept pulling loose near the spine. I must have re-done that section 6 times, changing tension, thread type, everything. Took me until almost midnight to realize I was using a round needle instead of a diamond one. The diamond needles cut through leather way cleaner. Has anyone else had a dumb mistake eat up a whole afternoon like that?

2 comments

2 Comments

elliotl241mo ago

Oh man, the "wrong needle" thing is brutal. I spent a whole Saturday once trying to get a smooth stitch on a wallet and kept tearing the leather every third hole. Turned out I was using a wedge needle for denim instead of a proper glover's needle for leather. I had to toss that piece and start over because the holes were too ragged. It's wild how one tiny tool swap can turn a 20 minute job into a full day of frustration.

nora5351mo ago

Honestly I used to think any sharp needle would work but that wallet story totally changed my mind.